I honestly don't get why people are so easily amused. Android has done all of these things for a while.

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People who like the iOS ecosystem, but have wanted these features that Android have had for a while, are thankful that we are finally getting them. I don't know why that is hard to understand or why that equates to being "easily amused".

I think the Jobs era where they were releasing game changers every year are over, and expectations need to be put in check.

From what I saw in the preview, it's a good update, but not magical, or revolutionary. It's exciting to see a fresh new style after iOS has been the same since 2007.

But i'm more looking forward to the functionality, and under the hood improvements. Like the smart multitasking, control center, parallax backgrounds, improved photo organization, Air Drop, improved anti theft, new siri voices and integration with wikipedia, new safari features, etc...

Hardware is usually more exciting to people than software. If the iPhone 5S has some good and unexpected new designs and features, it could be a good combo to have with iOS 7.

Hopefully, they put the features in well. Everything they've added has existed on other phones before, but they always have put it in more carefully. I'm hoping this is the case with iOS 7, and some of the stuff like Control Center already looks great.

I think the Jobs era where they were releasing game changers every year are over, and expectations need to be put in check.

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...really? When was the last time Apple released a "game changer"? Every year, iOS does nothing more than play catch-up.

I'm using iOS 7 right now and can easily say it's the best iOS ever. iOS 6 now looks and feels old and antiquated. There are a few more small features I'd like to see, but overall it is a huge step in the right direction. And it's about freaking time.

Many people seem to agree that the icons are a misstep. I feel like that they exhibit neither beauty nor coherency. Some icons have gradients (messages, weather, camera) or shadows (settings), others only a white background (photos, game center), some have a very textured and bubbly look (game center again), while other exhibit more design elements of what has been lately referred to as "flat design" (stocks, compass, newsstand). I personally find the latter the most well-designed and pleasing to the eye.

The same applies to the general impression of the apps themselves, where I would have been happier to see a more coherent design. I really like the design of the weather, clock, calculator and compass app, but find these to be in stark contrast to other apps (newsstand, game center, camera) as far as the visual style is concerned

That being said, it makes me hopeful that some of the places where iOS 7 falters design-wise may simply be due to the tight deadline for WWDC, as one author points out, and may see improvement in the GM or future iterations.

I was blown away by the 3D-esque properties of the UI. But I honestly haven't understood the whining about the current UI. Has OS X changed drastically in the past decade?

I'd also like someone to explain to me the uber hatred for, OK I do hate the word, skeuomorphism? I don't understand how four colored bubbles are a better Game Center icon than icons indicating games. I look at my game apps and see Words with Friends tiles on its app, a spade on a solitaire game and Ms. Pac-Man on the Ms. Pac-Man icon. The phone app still has an object that most kids don't know is a phone. The mail app still has an envelope. The camera app has what looks like an SLR camera.

A lot of the improvements are great. But I think the "flattening" was really overrated. The Music icon looks god-awful.

And can someone please explain to me how a guy who is supposedly a design genius can't say "aluminum" correctly? If you're going to be a detail guy, learn how to pronounce the stuff out of which most of your devices are made. Gah.

And can someone please explain to me how a guy who is supposedly a design genius can't say "aluminum" correctly? If you're going to be a detail guy, learn how to pronounce the stuff out of which most of your devices are made. Gah.

...really? When was the last time Apple released a "game changer"? Every year, iOS does nothing more than play catch-up.

I'm using iOS 7 right now and can easily say it's the best iOS ever. iOS 6 now looks and feels old and antiquated. There are a few more small features I'd like to see, but overall it is a huge step in the right direction. And it's about freaking time.

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I'd consider the last game changer the Macbook Air, and the ultrabook market that followed.

I think the Jobs era where they were releasing game changers every year are over, and expectations need to be put in check.

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Exactly, I think people need to curb the expectation as the market has plateaued somewhat in terms of just what can be brought in as new. Even Samsung are struggling to expand on revolutionary new features and hopefully this race will slow down a tad. Certain consumers seem to feel unless they are completely blown away by a new release, it has somehow failed but nothing could be further from the truth. Its about maintaining a loyal customer base and giving them the functionality and features that are most important.

I'd also like someone to explain to me the uber hatred for, OK I do hate the word, skeuomorphism? I don't understand how four colored bubbles are a better Game Center icon than icons indicating games. I look at my game apps and see Words with Friends tiles on its app, a spade on a solitaire game and Ms. Pac-Man on the Ms. Pac-Man icon. The phone app still has an object that most kids don't know is a phone. The mail app still has an envelope. The camera app has what looks like an SLR camera.

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The hatred of skeuomorphism (which I share) has more to do with how the apps themselves look rather than the icons. Like the fake leather stitching within the calendar app. Why is that necessary? Or the god awful design in game centre where they tried to make it look like it was made of felt. I feel as though having such distractingly ugly interface takes away from the general usability of the app.

"aluminium n. coexisted with its synonym aluminum n. throughout the 19th cent. From the beginning of the 20th cent., aluminum gradually became the predominant form in North America; it was adopted as the official name of the metal in the United States by the American Chemical Society in 1925. Elsewhere, aluminum was gradually superseded by aluminium, which was accepted as international standard by IUPAC in 1990."

We put up with our quaint American colleagues pronouncing the word in their amusing manner, and even have a light-hearted TV ad featuring a car salesman having obvious trouble with the word.

What is slightly less forgiveable is Jack Bauer in "24" saying NU-CU-LEAR. That really gets my goat.

And can someone please explain to me how a guy who is supposedly a design genius can't say "aluminum" correctly? If you're going to be a detail guy, learn how to pronounce the stuff out of which most of your devices are made. Gah.

People used to mock Windows XP, calling it 'Fisher Price'. XP looks professional compared with the rather garish new look for iOS. Having launched its shock and awe break with the past presentation of iOS7 I hope that Apple tones down some of those bubblegum colours.

There seems little point in Apple's designing fancy schmancy hardware to promote a quality look only to slap on an interface that reminds you of a Speak and Spell machine.

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